Automatic safety control for auxiliary lights



Dec. 2, 1941. R. E. LAUCK 2,265,122

AUTOMATIC SAFETY CONTROL FOR AUXILIARY LIGHTS Filed June 15, 1938 gu us/144M f n Faber! .E. LEI/01E Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC SAFETY CONTROL FOR AUXILIARY LIGHTS 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the provision of automatic means for energizing a nor mally de-energized translating device, upon fail ure of the energizing circuit to a normally energized translating device. The invention is capable of general application, and will operate effectively in connection with translating devices such as motors, electric heaters, electric lamps, and the like. However, it is particularly useful in connection with the lighting system of motor vehicles, to counteract and compensate for an inherent defect in all such lighting systems, to safeguard the lives of, and prevent injury to, the occupants of motor vehicles, following development of such inherent defect.

It is an essential object of this invention that auxiliary lighting means be provided which, simultaneously with the failure of the headlights, will be automatically energized to provide abundant light the instant the headlights fail, so that the driver of the vehicle may continue on his way in perfect safety, until he can reach a service station and have his headlights restored to normal condition, at which time the auxiliary lights may be turned off.

A further object of the invention is the mount ing of the mechanism for controlling the energization of the auxiliary light in the shell of an auxiliary lamp, in the rear of the reflector, or in a sealed case, so that it will be concealed from view and will not be subject to damage from tampering, or from dampness and dust, which might otherwise interfere with its operaation.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my invention illustrating the manner in which it may be applied to a conventional electric circuit.

Figure 2 is a more or less diagrammatic view of the circuits, with the control means for the auxiliary light shown in section.

Figure 2 is a modification.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the shell of the auxiliary lamp assembly, showing such shell broken out to indicate the mounting of the control mechanism mounted therein.

Figure 4 shows a side view of the sealed case broken out to illustrate the mounting of the control mechanism inside, with the three conductors extending from inside the case, the latter to be mounted on the dash of the motor vehicle in the position shown in the drawing.

The primary cause of headlight failure is shorting or grounding of the light wires on account of the insulation wearing off, which burns out or blows the fuse and naturally extinguishes the headlights. Probably of headlight failure happens in this manner, but there are at least four other things that can disrupt the headlight circuit at the fuse block and put out the headlightsnamely: poorly made fuses, which sometimes causes them to come apart and break the headlight circuit While the motor vehicle is in motion; corrosion on the fuse or on the fuse clip that holds it in place, which will prevent flow of current to headlights; carelessness in installing the fuse, which causes one end to jar out of contact with the fuse clip and break the circuit; and lastly, disintegration of the fuse block itself, which may be caused by inferior work, either in manufacture or in installing it on the vehicle. All of the above mentioned defects are known to be causes of headlight failure and they can show up on any motor vehicle without warning.

There are other causes of headlight failure, however, such as loose connections between the battery terminal to which the main conductor is attached, and the fuse block, which will of course, prevent flow of current to the headlights and put them out instantly.

For these reasons, the present invention is concerned more especially with means, hereinafter termed control mechanism, by which, on failure of the headlights from any of the causes cited, an auxiliary light will be instantly and automatically energized to provide illumination of the road to enable the driver of the vehicle to proceed on his way in safety until a service station can be reached, and headlights put in normal condition.

In the form shown, I is the conventional automobile battery grounded to the frame as usual. The main conductor 2 leads to fuse 3, and the usual manually operated switch 4 to the headlights the latter being grounded at 6 to complete the circuit when the switch is closed.

An auxiliary lighting means, designed to function automatically on failure of headlights, is provided through a conventional lighting element involving a shell I, a reflector 8, a bulb 9, and an arm l0, connected to the shell and having a terminal clamping means by which the auxiliary lamp may be securely attached to an appropriate part of the vehicle, preferably to the bumper arm, below the headlights, and so disposed that the light, when energized, will be directed on the road in front of the vehicle.

This control mechanism, indicated generally by the reference character C, involves a base II having a superimposed insulating strip l2 on which is secured a plate l3 to which is electrically fixed the core M of an electro-magnet l5. The plate I3 is extended to one side of the electromagnet and extends upwardly as a post I6, to the upper end .of which is swingingly connected an armature l1, responsive to the electro-magnet, and normally held in open relation by a spring [8. Secured upon the insulating strip 12, and insulated from the base II, is a second post I!) terminating at its upper end in a lateral projection 20, which projection, and the immediately overlying free end of the armature I1, are provided with contacts 2|.

The energizing circuit for the electro-magnet comprises a conductor 22 electrically connected.

to the core l4, and then wound about the core with appropriate coil insulation, in a series of coils to afford appropriate magnetic effect with the core M. The terminal of the core winding is extended beyond the core as a conductor 23. Acon-ductor 24, in electrical connection with the post l9, extends to the auxiliary lamp 5a, the shell of which is grounded at 2'5.

Ordinarily, in applying the automatic auxiliary lighting control, the .terminals of the conductors 22 and 23 may be connected to the main conductor .2 on opposite sides of and immediately adjacent to the fuse 3'; the conductor 22 being attached to the terminal of the fuse block on the battery side of the fuse, while conductor 23 is connected to the terminal on the opposite side of the fuse toward the headlights, as shown in 0 Figure 2 This installation would take care of nearly everything that might cause headlights to fail, but in order to guard against every possible cause of headlight failure, from loose connections, to disrupted circuit at the fuse block, it is contemplated that conductor 21 beappropriately connected in the top of the ungrounded battery post, as shown in the drawing, Figures 2 and 2 and then to connect conductor 22 to conductor 2.! at dashswitch 26., as previously mentioned, so that there will always be a-source of energy available direct from the battery to energize the auxiliary light, either through the automatic operation of the control mechanism .or through the manual operation of the dash switch 26, in the 1 event of headlight failure.

As previously explained, there is virtually no flow of current through the electro-magnet when it is connected onto the main conductor .in this manner; its terminals merely forming a loop on the main conductor. Consequently, as provenby milliampere reading, the electro-magnet will remain inactive, or neutral, so long as the lighting system is intact, and will have nothing to do but to stay put pending the emergency when it is needed. But the very instant that a short occurs anywhere in the headlight circuit, and burns out the fuse 3,, or a break in the circuit occurs between the battery and the fuse block, the two connections of conductors22 and 23 automatically become positive and negative-one to the battery, and one to the ground at the headlightsby Virtue of their separation on account of the breaking of the circuit between them, and the conductor 22)., and close contacts 2], thus permitting current to flow through post l9 and conductor 24 to the auxiliary lamp 5a and illuminate it. It will, of course, be appreciated that the fault in the original circuit under which the auxiliary circuit becomes effective is one which will result in a blowing of the fuse 3 or an interruption of the conductor between the fuse and the battery or any short circuiting of the circuit which will tend to a blowing of the fuse.

Since the effectiveness of this invention depends upon its being in proper shape to function at all times, it is contemplated that all conductors "used in its installation shall be heavily insulated to resist wear, and that extreme care shall be taken in securing the conductors to the frame of the vehicle; reinforcing them Wherever they come in contact with the frame, and also that all terg-minal-s shall be soldered to the ends of the conductors and all nuts and screws shall be tightened securely to prevent loosening from vibration, etc. For-only in this way can the operators of motor vehicles be protected to the maximum against the constant threat of death from headlight failure.

When the control mechanism is mounted in the lamp shell, as shown in Figure .3, the entire auxiliary lamp .unit can be sold complete, and can be easily installed on a motor vehicle, either singly or in pairs; the second unit being tied onto the first and operated automatically and simultaneously with the energization of the electro-' magnet mounted .in the shell of the original lamp. Under these conditions, the conductors 22, 23, 24 and '21 (Figure '2, and shown in Figure 3 as 2.9., 2911, 39 and 31) will lead from the control mechanism in the shell 1,, through opening 2.8 in the shell, in cable form of appropriate length, with conductors separated from one another, .and of difijerent color, to provide for their proper connection in the motor vehicle lighting system, according to instructions accompanying each unit sold.

It is also contemplated that the control mechanism may be assembled as a complete unit, as shown in Figure 4, and mounted in a sealed metallic case, with the conductors 34, 35 and 36 leading outwardly from the case through an insulated opening to the proper places in the light ing system where they should be connected in i order to convert ordinary non-automatic auxiliary lamps into automatic safety lamps. This procedure would give every car owner the opportunity to profit by this invention, whether he has already installed auxiliary lights on his car or not, and would obviate the necessity of discarding valuable auxiliary lamps, in order to install lamps equipped with the automatic control mechanism that could only be obtained from special sources.

It is to be understood that the term fuse as used herein, is intended to mean any instrument or mechanism by which the circuit to the headlights is automatically interrupted under abnormal circuiting conditions. For example, some motor vehicles are equipped with thermo-circuit breakers :in place of the conventional fuse that is used in most cars. This device is supposed to prevent the wires from catching fire, by temporarily breaking the circuit, and reducing the heat, when a short occurs. After a short interval, it restores the circuit, until enough heat is generated to open the circuit again. However, during the interval that the circuit is broken, the driver is Without light, and my invention will take care of the situation on a .car thus equipped, just as effectively as though it was equipped with the ordinary fuse. Therefore, it is universally needed wherever motor vehicles are operated at night.

What is claimed to be new is:

1. A construction as defined in claim 3, including a manually controlled by-pass circuit shunting the electromagnet and circuit closer for the auxiliary circuit, said by-pass circuit directly connecting the source of energy and the auxiliary lamp circuit through the manual control to permit the lighting of the auxiliary lamp independently of and without regard to the condition of the electromagnet and the main circuit between the source of energy and the main lamp or lamps.

2. In combination with an electric circuit including a source of energy, a main lamp, a main circuit between the source of energy and the main lamp, a fuse in the circuit, an electromagnet, an insulated base therefore, circuiting connections leading from the main circuit at one side of the fuse to the electromagnet and from the electromagnet to the main circuit at the other side of the fuse, a post supported upon the insulated base at one side of the electromagnet, a springpressed armature carried by the post and responsive to the electromagnet, a second post mounted upon the insulated base on the other side of the electromagnet, cooperating contacts between the armature and second post, a service conductor leading from the second post, an auxiliary lamp energized by the service conductor, and a. manually controlled by-pass conductor between the source of energy and the service conductor between the second post and the auxiliary lamp.

3. In combination with an electric circuit including a source of energy, a lamp, and a main conductor between the source of energy and lamp including a fuse, an electromagnet, an energizing circuit for the electromagnet including a conductor leading from the source of energy to the electromagnet and a conductor leading from the electromagnet to the main conductor on the lamp side of the fuse, the energizing circuit for the electromagnet providing a path of greater resistance than that of the main conductor whereby the electromagnet is inactive while the fuse in the main conductor is intact, an auxiliary lamp, a switch element controlled by the electromagnet and a circuit controlled by the switch and including the conductor from the source of energy to the electromagnet, and a conductor controlled by the switch and leading to the auxiliary lamp, said electromagnet being energized on failure of the fuse, and operating to close the switch element to thereby close the circuit to the auxiliary lamp for lighting the same.

ROBERT E. LAUCK. 

